[MLS PLAYOFF PREVIEW] Before a broken leg sidelined Steve Ralston, before post-concussion symptoms benched Taylor Twellman, yet after Chicago completed its 3-0 sweep of games against New England this season, Fire assistant coach Chris Armas warned the playoffs would be different if the teams were to meet again. Read the whole story

[MLS] Regardless of what they put on the field next March, those in charge of Seattle Sounders FC certainly aren't hedging their bets, and have already gone where some MLS teams still dread to tread. They paid up $30 million to buy into MLS. They have sold more than 17,000 ... Read the whole story

[UNDER-17 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP] Americans may still think of themselves as the dominant power in the world of girls soccer, but they were given a lesson in attacking soccer by Japan in their first game at the inaugural Under-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand. The Americans needed only 139 ... Read the whole story

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Osei Telesford and Fabrice Noel scored first-half goals and Puerto Rico Islanders held on for a 2-2 draw with Panama's Tauro FC on Wednesday to earn a place in the regional championship's quarterfinals, where they're joined by fellow USL-1 team Montreal Impact. Read the whole story

"It was the first game we didn't lose -- we're all very proud." -- Pedro Almeida, a motorcycle mechanic who coaches East Timor, known as the world's worst soccer team thanks to its last-place FIFA ranking, after a 2-2 with Cambodia. The tie ended East Timor's six-year losing streak since its start in international soccer six years ago, when the Southeast Asian nation gained full independence. The team is comprised of soldiers, grocers and port workers who receive no compensation for their efforts on the field. (Reuters) ...More